Frequently Asked Questions

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How long will it take me to get a degree?

For the majority of our Honours degrees, it usually takes 3 or 4 years depending on whether you have chosen to study full-time or part-time. The length of a Foundation degree varies between 2 years and 3 years, with a once a week attendance requirement. An initial advice interview with a support tutor will inform you of the particular details for specific degrees.

Can I afford to study for a degree?

When can I start?

Most of our degree programmes begin in late September / Early October. Our Foundation Degree in Professional Development starts in January 2012 and some other courses have an April start date - please check with the University Centre for more information about this.

I've heard Holy Cross is a Catholic college. I have a different religion/no religion. How well would I fit in?

You will be made extremely welcome at Holy Cross. We encourage diversity, accepting and valuing all beliefs. We offer excellent facilities and a friendly, supportive environment for staff and students of all faiths and from all walks of life. The college provides the opportunity for each person to develop spiritually, morally and intellectually and welcomes students and staff of all faiths.

How do the facilities compare with studying at a main University campus?

Holy Cross offers excellent IT facilities and support which are available both in quality and quantity and these are available for use by students in the daytime and Mon-Thurs evenings. We also have a well-stocked, modern library and, via the internet, we offer access to the library facilities at all our partner universities. Students are also offered excellent pastoral support. In the vicinity of the college there are shops, cafes, cash machines and there are well-stocked vending machines on site.

I'm not sure if I have the necessary qualifications, so can I still apply?

As part of our support system, we prefer to invite all potential students in for an informal discussion about their course choice, enabling the support tutor to best advise them, so that students join the course most suitable for their aspirations and ambitions.

Many students may have been out of education for a while, or have no formal qualifications. The informal interview enables admissions tutors to look for a student’s potential to succeed at degree level. To that end, an alternative student entry paper may be appropriate for certain courses for applicants with related skills and experience.

For those who need extra study experience, it is worth considering an Access to Higher Education programme at a local further education college, Learn Direct National Tests in literacy and numeracy or GCSE equivalency tests in English, maths and science. Edge Hill equivalency tests are offered at Holy Cross (subject to numbers). Support tutors will give further advice about suitable preparation study.

I am nervous about returning to learning. What support will I get?

At Holy Cross, we pride ourselves on the pro-active support we offer to our students. You will be assigned a support tutor who will provide you with support, help, guidance and encouragement throughout your studies. Your academic subject tutors will also provide an appropriate level of support. Sharing the learning experience with other students will also help develop your skills and confidence.

How can I find out my career options when I have completed my degree?

Each of our partner universities has a career’s service that you can contact for advice.

Edge Hill University - www.edgehill.ac.uk
Liverpool Hope University – www.hope.ac.uk
University of Surrey – www.surrey.ac.uk

How much time will I need to commit to study?

This tends to vary from individual to individual depending on your own learning style and skills. However, on average for part- time study as well as attending the taught sessions you would be expected to complete12-15 hours of independent study per week. For a full- time course the expectation would be 25-30 hours independent study per week.

I am anxious about returning to academic study. How can I get help with this?

Lots of degree-level students are concerned about note-making and academic writing skills simply because:

a. It has been a long time since they have studied, so they are rusty or

b. They have never been taught how to write in an academic style.

It can be hard to ask for help with these skills, but the difference that good study skills can make to understanding material, note taking, essay writing and most importantly, assignment scores, shouldn’t be under- estimated.

As a student, you can get help at Holy Cross; we have a wonderful resource in our librarians who experienced in accessing materials such as electronic journals and books.

Our IT technicians will be happy to assist with any IT problem solving. The IT helpdesk has a technician available until 8.00pm, Monday to Thursday during term time.

Support tutors are all postgraduate qualified teachers, experienced in higher education and happy to advise on study skills or to point you in the right direction for extra help and guidance. There are a range of handouts available from your support tutor including: academic writing, avoiding plagiarism, grammar and punctuation and reflective writing.

The university websites also have available resources to help you. We would also recommend that you visit the following websites for general study skills support: www.learnhigher.ac.uk
openlearn.open.ac.uk

Who teaches on the courses?

Academic tutors from each of the Universities travel to Holy Cross to deliver your programme.

Who studies at Holy Cross University Centre? Will I fit in?

Studying at a local centre like Holy Cross gives people of all ages and back grounds, who may have work and family commitments, opportunities to continue learning and to develop personally and/or change their careers.

How do I apply/find out more?

Contact Holy Cross University Centre on 0161 762 4513 to discuss your options with a Support Tutor or email university@holycross.ac.uk. Alternatively, please fill in our Enquiry Form by clicking here.